Means for automatically feeding and reversing the direction of the feed of printing ribbons used on type-duplicating machines



OF THE FEED Dec. 14', 1926'.

W.' H. STOREY NG.AND

v ERSING THE 91 N TYP Filed Mav REGTION HINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 E DUPLICATIN'G MAC 6. 1925 ,0 L MW 6 w 0 I ,5 0 I Z 4 M, Q J .M FILII m r L s w W m 6 fi W B 9, l a r If W4 n L 0Q J M INVENTO ew M a M MT u v. B

, Hrroedm,

CTION OF THE FEED Dec. 14 1926.

"BANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDI W. H. STQREY NG AND REVERSING THE DIRE 0F PRINTING RIBBONS USED ON TYPE DUPLICATING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 6. 1925 INVEN'IW Dec. 14 1926 BANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY FEEDI W. H. STOREY NG AND REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF THE FEED OF PRINTING RIBBONS USED ON TYPE DUPLICATING MACHINES 3 Shea ts-Sheet 3 Filed May 6. 1925 a mvtmcm: William 107w Dec. id, 192%.

WILLIAM nanny STOREY, on

MEANS Application filed May 6, 1925, Serial No.

The present invention relates to means for automatically feeding and reversing the direction of the feed of the printing ribbons used on type duplicating machines,- and has for its object to ensure a positive feeding :etion, and a positive reverse, said reverse to be cii ected without depending upon the tautness of the ribbon as hitherto has been the case; and further to make it impossible for the device automatically to reverse at any point other than that almost at the end of the ribbon, that is to say only when there is approximately half a turn of ribbon on the spool from which the ribbon is being unwound.

A further object of the invention is so to construct the mechanism governing these movements that no one spring acts to counteract the action of other springs which hitherto has been the case, the employment of such counteracting springs tending to make the mechanism so delicate that it is sometimes rendered inoperative by dust or even by the viscosity of the lubricant used.

A further object of the invention isto provide a means whereby, on the removal of the spools from the machine thecheck pawls and teedingpawls become'inoperative so that unnecessary wear and noise lSBllIllinated when the machine is being used as a printing machine without a ribbon.

in existing ribbon movements depending upon the reversal of the ribbon by tautness taint impressions are caused to be produced at the points of reversal owing to the fact that before the necessary degree of tautness is obtained the slack of theribbon on the toll spool. has to be gradually reduced by the rotation of the winding spool, the ribbon covering the type faces meanwhile being stationary or pract cally stationary. This continual use of the same portion of the ribbon before reversal (it being stationary) and its re-use' immediately. after reversal, uses up the ink in the ribbon and consequently ain't and useless copies are produced.

Furthermore, owing to the extreme delicacy ot' the mechanism, thedel-icacy being such that the friction of the ribbon against the surfaces of say new type, or a substantially full term of type, has been sutficie'nt owing to the dragging action of the type against the ribbon, to produce sui'iicient tautron noroirarroannr snnnn ernnn or :enrn'r ne nrnnons on intent TDYQQIQ'eSEL-h, ENGLAND.

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28,319, and in Great Britain Eviay 15, 192%;

uess to cause the mechanism to reverse the direction of the travelof the ribbon, with the result that the ribbon is used in-one portion only, and as the ink. becomes used up taint and useless impressions are-caused.

The mechanism which ensures positive feeding action and a positive reverse, the said reverse beii'ig inde .ndent oithe tautness of the ribbon, consists of sensing members which are normally held in Contact with the ribbonon the spools. On a spool be comingalntiost empty, that is to say when approi'lmately only half a turn of-'i.'ibbon is left on the spool from which the ribbon is being unwound, a slot on the spool b comes uncovered thus allowing th sensing memher to move towards the centre of that spool under the action of its spring and thus bring an arm attached to the other end of the sensing men'iber into such a position that it prevents the movement of a check pawl which causes the mechanism to reverse. removal or the spools "from the ma- 2.110. chine renders inoperative'the actionof the checl: aawls and feeding pawls by reason of the fact that the spools have secured to them, or have made ill 0116 with them the ratchet wheels which are engaged by the check pawls and feeding pawls? I i The invention will now be described more particularly with reference to the accorrrpanying drawings whereonz- Fig. l. is a plan view or": a cylinder of a rotary type duplicating machine to which the invention "has been applied. V

Fig. 2 isa sectional side view with the ribbon spools removed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary tront view showing one of the sensing members tortheribbon spool. i

Fig; 4t is a detail view showing the relative positions of the feed pawl, check pawl, and sensing members after reversal or the move nient-ot the ribbon.

's a detail side view of the mechanism controlling the reversal oi"; the teed pawl by the check pawl.

Fig. 6 is a view 0t one of the spools with the ratchet wheel secured thereto. I

i Fig. '2' is a sectional view through the spools showingthe ribbon securedthereinj 0n the drawing the main, cylinder is composed of the two ends A B to the peripheries or which is secured the 'r'orm for the type.

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The cylinder is mounted on the shaft 1 which passes through the side frames of the type duplicating machine.

To the shaft 1 is fitted an eccentric to which is attached a yoke 11 the free end of which is fixed in a pivotal manner by the gudgeon pin 12 to a slide 13 which by means of the guide'M is free to slide in a reciprocative manner in the end A of the cylinder. Or, in the case of machines where the shaft 1 revolves with the cylinder the shaft is capable of freely revolving in the eccent *ie 10 which is prevented from rcvolvi ng with the said shaft by means of some suitable connection with the side frame of tie machine, such as a pin engaged in both the side frame and the eccentric, from which. it will be understood that although the cylinder revolves with the shaft, the eccentric remains stationary and a reciprocating motion is therefore imparted to the slide 13. To the said slide 13 is attached in a pivotal manner a check pawl 20 and a feed pawl 30 by means of the pivot 15 which also passes through the guide 1%. The check pawl is fashioned with a bent up arm 21 centrally disposed between its extremities and the said arm is slotted as at 22 in which slides an L shaped shaft 23 on which a roller 24 is free to revolve. To the free end of the shaft 23 and exerting a pull upon it (see Fig. 5) is attached a spring 25 the other end of which is fixed to the double sided feed pawl 80 which as previously mentioned is mounted on the pivot 15. The feed pawl is fashioned with teeth 31 and 32, one on each side, and the free end of the feed pawl is moreover fashioned with two curved sides 33 and 34%, the two inside faces of which form a pointed tooth 35. Adjacent to one or the other side of this tooth 35 but prevented from contacting during normal working by the bottom of the slot 22 in the double sided check pawl 20 depressing the shaft on which it revolves is the roller 2% previously mentioned, the reason for which will be understood when the action of reversing the mechanism is detailed.

Pivoted in recess A in the end of the cylinder are two spools and 4:1 to one end of each of which is fixed or made integral therewith the ratchet wheels 42 and 43. The spools are pivoted within the recess A in such a position that the check pawl 20 and feed pawl 30 can make engagement with one or other ratchet wheel. The other end of each spool is removable, the ends being slotted as at H to form a spring to retain them. The ribbon C is wound on a sheath 4:0 and the spools are slotted as at 40 throughout their length and the sheaths 40 fit over the spools being split from end to end and having inturned faces 4:0 which fit in the slots of the spools while the ends of the ribbon are secured on rods a0 which are larger in diameter than the slots in the being fitted over the wrong spool projections such as t? are fixed tothe sheath or formed integral therewith by cutting the sheath and bending downwardly portions which engage in the slot if only when the correct sheath is being placed on the correct spool in the correct manner, that is to s end for end. This provision also prevents the ribbon from being placed on the machine in such a manner that the ratchet or feeding mechanism unwinds it. Further to prevent a spool from being mounted on its wrong pivot in the cylinder, one of the pivots 4-8, 48 or 4:), 4:9 with the corresponding hole in the end of a spool is made smaller than the other.

Fixed to the cylinder end B in the recess B between the spools is a flat, or leaf sprii'ig 50 one purpose of which is to force the spools into driving position with the driving mechanism and to retain them in that position. A to apply sufficient pressure to prevent the ribbon from sagging or coming off from a spool too easily when it is being drawn from the other end thereby maintaining an even contact between the ribbon and the type faces, and to this end the spring 50 is preferably extended so that it makes contae with the spool ends at points as far as possible from the centres of the spools, thereby obtaining leverage.

Pivoted in the recess A end A are a pair of sensing" members (30, These members are pivoted as at 61 to a housing or bracket 62 secured to a boss formed on the cylinder end A.

The sensing members under the action of the springs 63, 63 are being continually pressed towards the centres of the spools but are prevented from entering the slots d5 or 6 because the said slots are normally covered over by the inking ribbon. Fixed to or formed integral with the sensing members 60, 60 are trip lingers G l which are normally held out of engagement with the check pawl 20 because the sensing member is prevented from entering a slot in one of the spools owing to the ribbon which covers it.

The feeding of the ribbon on to one spool and its withdrawl around the faces of the type from the other spool is effected as folows:

When the printing cylinder is set in motion a reciprocating motion is given to the slide 13 through the action of tie yoke 11 of the cylinde r further purpose of this spring is lit) on the eccentric 1.0. The feed pawl 30 and the check pawl being hinged on the pivot 15 the action of the spring is to pull their free ends to one or other side of the centre of the pivot. The spool on the side to which they are pulled is the driven or vinding spool. The spring attempts to pull the free ends of the feedpawl and check pawl together but is prevented from doing so by stops, if no spool is in position on its pivots.

lhese stops are formed by the curved sides or faces and 3d of the feed pawl coming into contact with the roller 24. Normalty however,- the free ends of the feed pawl 30 and check pawl 20 are stopped b their engagement with one or other of the ratchet wheels 12 and d3 on the spools 4.0 and 4-1.

it will thus be seen, therefore, that a movement of the slide 13 with its guide let carrying the pivot 15 towards the centre of the cylinder causes the feed pawl 30 to impart a rotary motion to the ratchet wheel (see Fig. The check pawl 20 which is meanwhile being sprung approximately towards the centre of the ratchet wheel 42 therefore allows any tooth or teeth which is or are forced against it by the feed pawl 30 to pass the check pawl.

It will further be observed that any movement of the guide 1% and slide 13 away from the centre of the printing cylinder therefore forces the feed pawl 80 up to its next feeding position, the check pawl 20 meanwhile preventing the friction between the feed pawl and the ratchet wheel 42 imparting any reverse motion thereto and also helping in the feeding by forcing the ratchet wheel round.

The operation of the mechanism to reverse the direction of travel of the ink ribbon will now be described.

rissrnning that the feed pawl 30 and the check pawl 20 are engaging with the ratchet wheel $2 of the spool 1O and are therefore out of engagement with the ratchet wheel d3 of spool 4C1, that is to say the position is as shown in Fig. l.

in this figure the sensing member 60 is passed into slot 45 in the spool 40 represented by the ratchet 42. As the ribbon C is wound upon th spool 40, the ribbon forces the member outwardly with the lower part thereof moving to the right in Figure 4-, thus permitting the spring which controls the member 60 to draw the bar toward the right in said figure. Ateach revolution of the ratchet wheel 42 of the spool 40 the ribbon forces the member 60 further away and the trip finger 64 of the member 60, which has previously been gradually forced outwardly by the increased diameter of the ribbon winding on the spool 41 of the ratchet 43 gradually approaches towards the path in connection with the tooth shown in Figure 8. The next revolution of the printing cylinder acts upon the slide 13 carrying the pivot 15 upon which the double ended check pawl 20 pivoted and therefore draws the pivot 15 of the check pawl towards the centre of the cylinder. The free end of the double ended check pawl '20 prevented from moving by the trip finger 6d of the sensing member 60 on which it is new virtually pivoted. This mov nent imparts to the double ended checl: pawl 20 an angi ar lotion much greater than is imparted to it during the normal feeding of the ribbon C. with the result that the roller 2-2; on the end of the L-shaped shaft forced into contact with the straight side 33 of the tooth 35 of the feed pawl 30, so forcing the roller away from the pivot by extending the sprin 25 on the L-shaned shaft 23 until such time the roller 2%. rests with its centre just over the centre of the tooth 35 against the side of the feed pawl 30 so that the feed pawl and check pawl have their opposite feeding and checking teeth 3; and 2t; pulled into engagement with the ratchet wheel 13 of spool 4-1, that is to say the position of the part is as shown in Fig. 2 and the spool 41-1 commences to draw the ribbon C from the spool 40. V a

From the fore-going it will be seen that reversal of the direction of feed to the ribbon is performed without depending upon the tautness of the ribbon to (:llBC'b reversal which hitherto has been the case with the r sult that the life of the ribbon is considerably increased and faint impressions do not result when nearing the end of the ribbon.

Moreover the reversal of the ribbon feed only takes place when one or the other sensing member has been afforded a definite amount of movement towards the center of a spool under the action of a spring and consequently the maximum length of ribbon is used before any reversal takes place. lWith the known ribbonreversal mechanism the mere drag of the type surfaces against the ribbon during printing has occasioned reversal prior to the maximum amountof travel from one spool to another and consequently uneven wear is afforded to the ribbon.

Again, in known types of ribbon operating devices the feed pawl and check pawl on the ratchet wheels continuously whether ribbon is on the spools or otherwise. Rotary type duplicating machines are adapted to print either by means of a ribbon or by inking rollers. In existing machines removal of the ribbon spools for printing; "from the ink rollers has not prevented wear and tear or noise because the feed pawl and check pawl still act upon one or the other the ratchets. According to the present invention the ratchet wheel:-; torm an integrail part of the spools and cons'iequently' when the spools are removed from the pivots in the cylinder ends wear and tear and noise is eliminated while using the machine with inking rollers.

iaying tln'ss described my invention what 1 desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:-

1. A feeding and reversing mechanism for the printing; ribbon of a rotary type d nplicating machine, including spools having; slots therein, means including a check pawl for positively feeding said ribbon from one spool to another, said pawl having a projection, sensing members each having a trip linger movable lnto the slot of an associated spool when the ribbon is almost entirely unthe printing ribbon of a rotary type dupheating machine, including spools on which a said ribbon is wound, 1116115 to positiveb feed said ribbon from one spool to another, said means including a feed pawl and a checl; pawl, the latter having slot there' a common pivot for said pawls, said teed pawl having two curred sides forming; a pointed tooth, an L-shaged sha'tt supported 'ti-om the feed pawl, a spring connecting said haft and feed pawl, and a roller hoot-ed in :he slot formed in said check pawl and M ported by said shaft, said roller acting; up either of said curved sides depending upon the direction of teed of said ribbon.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

\VILLIAM HENRY STORE Y. 

